Fifth-grader Tabitha Ritchie has until July to perfect her autograph as she will be attending her first book signing in Detroit, Michigan.
The 10-year-old student at Mary Star of the Sea Catholic School beat out thousands of entrants to win the international young author's competition, sponsored by the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated.
Tabitha's story, which is entitled, "My Most Unforgettable Experience," struck a chord with a panel of regional and international judges, who loved her real-life account of reuniting with her dog, Fluffy, which she was forced to give up for adoption six years earlier.
Her story will be published in an anthology, entitled, "The Spirit Within: Voices of Young Authors," to be published this summer and made available in bookstores around the world.
President of the AKA's Freeport chapter, Julie Glover, said the object of the young author programme is to encourage a greater love of reading and writing among primary school students in two categories: grades two to three, and grades four to six.
Approximately 20 students from Grand Bahama also submitted entries as well as thousands of students from the United States, Germany, Japan, Korea and Bermuda.
At a press conference at the girl's school yesterday, Mrs. Glover told reporters that Tabitha's story was scrutinized at both the regional and national levels last year.
On Tuesday, the AKA announced that Tabitha had emerged the winner for the grades four to six category.
"To be a published writer at age 10 is a bee in anybody's bonnet and I want to congratulate her and [her principal] and her teacher and anyone else who encouraged her. Of course, we cannot overlook the fact that she has very interested parents," Mrs. Glover said.
Tabitha's father, Martin Ritchie, said he was ecstatic about her win.
"Me and her mother are very happy for her and her accomplishments [given] that she is only 10 years old and already a published author," Mr. Ritchie said. "It says a lot for her. We help her a lot in her schoolwork. The teachers of Mary Star [also] show how good they are in teaching their students. I hope that this will help her to move on with more writings."
Tabitha, who hopes to publish other works in the near future, and is also considering a career in writing, was also ecstatic.
"I feel very happy about winning because there were so many children who entered this competition and I won," Tabitha said.
"My inspiration comes from my family and my dog which I wrote about and how we were reunited after six years."
By: Courtnee Romer, The Bahama Journal
